Author Topic: Frabill Thermal Fabrill - Recruit (Read 8203 times)

wyatt_8 · « **on:** Oct 13, 2015, 08:23 PM »

I am looking to buy a larger 1 man flip over with thermal fabric and have it narrowed down to just a few. I was really interstested in the new recruit for the extra space it provides. Looking at it tonight in person I noticed that where the "stitching" is in the fabric where there is only a single layer, there is a lot of daylight that comes through. Looking at it from the outside, it really isn't stitching, but some sort of welded or glued spots that create a quilted like effect. Some areas have a second layer of fabric, particularly in high wear areas, but in many spots it's just the one layer, and from the inside it looks like holes in the fabric. From the outside they look sealed.

Does anyone have any other information on this fabric and if it is more durable than it looks. It sure looks like on a windy day it would whistle on the inside with that many holes, but I have a hard time believing Frabill would make something that sparse. Size and layout seemed good. The seat was comfy but the bottom frame of it was made out of plastic so I'm a little skeptical of that too. The only other downside I saw was that if you let the poles telescope down to the very base, the black plastic clips that make pushing in the buttons easier also hit the plate where the poles connect to, and the last pole won't fold all the way. If you pull it up a few inches it clears the joint and you can fold it all the way over. It's a bit of a design flaw but nothing worth worring about from what I can tell.

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #1 on:** Oct 13, 2015, 08:29 PM »

Not much out there information wise on Frabill new line up...very limited pictures and no known video . Even the description is a lil cryptic . So far your first hand account /review is the best thus far .

CavScout · « **Reply #2 on:** Oct 14, 2015, 01:25 PM »

Quote from: hardwater diehard on Oct 13, 2015, 08:29 PM

Not much out there information wise on Frabill new line up...very limited pictures and no known video . Even the description is a lil cryptic . So far your first hand account /review is the best thus far .

I agree, this is the best 1st hand account i have seen. I am anxious and curious to hear what more people have to say on this shelter.

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #3 on:** Oct 14, 2015, 01:35 PM »

http://fishingtackleretailer.com/roamers-get-more-room-with-frabill-flip-over-shelters/

Commando tub turned sideways

Old Goat · « **Reply #4 on:** Oct 14, 2015, 01:49 PM »

I sat in one a couple weeks ago and I also noticed all the light coming through the needle holes looked like looking at the stars even in the store. Seam seal would take care of that easy enough. I didn't notice the single vs double layering I think the light scared me. The Kenai tub looked like a car carrier turned upside down jesus was that ugly. The legend thermal looked like a nice shanty/tub.

matzilla · « **Reply #5 on:** Oct 14, 2015, 04:33 PM »

Those holes are common to nearly all insulated flips

squ1rr31_ · « **Reply #6 on:** Oct 14, 2015, 04:56 PM »

I have the thermal fabric on my Trekker that i bought after the fact, its 2 layers of 600 denier with insulation sandwiched between the material. It's very warm, and VERY tight on the sled, does not touch ground if fully extended. So I've tried to make sure to be very careful with it, my soon to be Father in Law did end up pulling on one of the skirts and it ended up tearing but I put some gear guide GOAT tape on it and it's working great!

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #7 on:** Oct 14, 2015, 06:03 PM »

Quote from: squ1rr31_ on Oct 14, 2015, 04:56 PM

I have the thermal fabric on my Trekker that i bought after the fact, its 2 layers of 600 denier with insulation sandwiched between the material. It's very warm, and VERY tight on the sled, does not touch ground if fully extended. So I've tried to make sure to be very careful with it, my soon to be Father in Law did end up pulling on one of the skirts and it ended up tearing but I put some gear guide GOAT tape on it and it's working great!

On my Frabill Adventurer I had to readjust the tent ... I removed the screws and rear strip set up the shelter on level ground all poles extended adjust tent ...then add the strip and screws .

wyatt_8 · « **Reply #8 on:** Oct 14, 2015, 07:30 PM »

The holes/spots in the Frabill fabric do look different than the Clam and Otter insulated fabrics. There were models from all three brands in the store I visited and they were not the same. The Frabill fabric looks more like melted dots than holes. From the outside they look sealed, but when you are inside and stick your hand outside in front of the holes not only can you see pretty well, but you can see the color of your hand, which is what concerned me the most. If it was just clear melted fabric that was creating the light then I'd be fine with it since it would still keep the wind out and the water out. But I just coundn't tell. Does anyone know how to email Frabill? I tried to find an email on line but they only listed a customer care phone number and I don't have a lot of time during the day to call. The rest of the Recruit looked good, and the extra room is really great. The seat also comes out easily so I plan on putting in a custom bench and then I will be able to fish with my younger son in there once in a while as well. The poles went up and down well and it was easy to setup and tear down, other than the one note previously about the poles telescoping down to far preventing the last bar from folding over.

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #9 on:** Oct 14, 2015, 07:53 PM »

[email protected]

found it on this page

http://www.frabill.com/customer-service

CavScout · « **Reply #10 on:** Oct 15, 2015, 05:13 AM »

Please post up what your response is from Frabill. I am following this thread with great interest and I am anxious to hear what they have to say. I am half a heart beat away from pulling the trigger on this shanty but I haven't been able to see one in person. So I am anxiously awaiting their response.

fish-kabob · « **Reply #11 on:** Oct 15, 2015, 05:58 AM »

the think on the frabill I was looking at was the trunk seats.. how are they mounted? like slides or just float around the sled? I was looking at the pictures at bass pro they looked crappy... but maybe it's just me that's the reason I was thinking a eskimo wide one... I own a frabill and know they make great stuff... but don't think the eskimo versa chair will last with me and I may end out replacing it with a boat seat... but big deal lol's let us know what they say about the fabric cause that a big deal breaker for me for sure...

river rat78 · « **Reply #12 on:** Oct 15, 2015, 11:14 AM »

Quote from: fish-kabob on Oct 15, 2015, 05:58 AM

the think on the frabill I was looking at was the trunk seats.. how are they mounted? like slides or just float around the sled? I was looking at the pictures at bass pro they looked crappy... but maybe it's just me that's the reason I was thinking a eskimo wide one... I own a frabill and know they make great stuff... but don't think the eskimo versa chair will last with me and I may end out replacing it with a boat seat... but big deal lol's let us know what they say about the fabric cause that a big deal breaker for me for sure...

To my surprise I actually find the versa chair to be comfortable. When I first saw it I thought about changing it out with a padded boat seat myself.

fish-kabob · « **Reply #13 on:** Oct 15, 2015, 12:49 PM »

Quote from: river rat78 on Oct 15, 2015, 11:14 AM

To my surprise I actually find the versa chair to be comfortable. When I first saw it I thought about changing it out with a padded boat seat myself.

like they say looks can be deceiving...

Frabill Fanatic · « **Reply #14 on:** Oct 16, 2015, 01:44 PM »

In reply to "wyatt_8" email:
Thanks for the email and discussion on iceshanty.com. We are very excited about the new Recruit and those who fished from test-models last year had rave reviews. To answer your questions below:
1. What is the fabric weight? I've read 900D, 600D, 2 layers of 300D, and 2 layers of 600D. It would be nice if you published these details on your website
Answer: The Recruit features two layers of 300D fabric. Due to consumer and retailer feedback, this year Frabill is aligning our labels to how other shelter manufacturers label their fabric as the aggregate of those two layers – in this case 600D.

2. Sitting in the shelter, looking out, it appears that there are tons of tiny holes in the fabric. This is nothing new in many other shelters, but for the insulated fabric, it looks actually like melted spots that were imprinted on the fabric to create a quilted look. Not only can I see light but also color through these spots. Are they in fact holes or just melted clear spots? Holes let in wind and water, is that the case?
Answer: These are “melted clear spots” as you put it – historically Frabill flip-over shelters have all used quilted insulation, with the two layers of fabric sewn together around the insulation material. With the growth in hub shelters the past few years we have received increasingly positive feedback about the warmth of our insulated hub models which utilize welded insulation, where the two layers of fabric are heat-stamped together. Consequently we introduced this welded insulation to a few of our mid-priced and lower-priced flip-over shelters for 2015 including the Recruit. We had numerous test-models out last winter with Frabill Pro-Staffers as well as non-professional ice fishermen and received unanimous positive feedback on the Recruit – we heard no complaints about the wind, water or insulation of the Recruit.

3. When folding the last pole all the way down, the black plastic clips used to push in the rod buttons hit the hinge of the flip over and prevent the final pole from actually folding flat for transport. you have to pull the poles back up some to get it to fold over completely. Is this as designed or was the demo model I looked assembled incorrectly?
Answer: We did not design it to have the issue you are describing as they typically will fold flat for transportation so there may have been a glitch with the store display model you saw. One trick that may help is to not fully collapse the last U-frame until it is lying flat. This way when it is pushed completely in it does not interfere with the other frame work.

We appreciate your interest in the new Frabill Recruit shelter and wish you tight lines and safe ice this season!

wyatt_8 · « **Reply #15 on:** Oct 16, 2015, 05:43 PM »

Thank you for getting back to me on the email I sent you. I'm glad to learn about the fabric and weatherproof design. For the rest of the IS community following along the questions were from the email I sent Frabill's customer service account earlier this week.

Related to #3, although a bit of symantics, I do believe there is a bit of a design flaw in that if you collapse the last pole too far it won't fold flat (gravity is at play here). However, all you have to do is pull the pole back up a little and you are good to go. I went back and looked at the display model and it's simply just that it can collapse too low as designed. Not a big deal at all, very simple to work through, but wanted full transparency for those not able to see in person. The bottom line is that it isn't a show stopper at all.

For me, I was between a Wide 1 Inferno and the Recruit, and I plan on purchasing the Recruit. The extra space and the ability to have 2 holes with more room between them is a great design. Weight is good, the fabric looks durable, and even though the welds create some daylight, I think we will have no problem sight fishing inside (cavscout per your other post I'm pretty sure if the water is clear there is no issues seeing down the hole).

CavScout · « **Reply #16 on:** Oct 17, 2015, 02:48 PM »

Good to hear. I am looking forward to seeing.one of these in person soon as I get back home. (still deployed until 1st week of Nov) . I was going to order one online unseen but I think i will wait until i can check one out in person. At any rate I am due for an upgrade from my old ranger xl twin which served me well for many years. And this one is currently at the top of the list.
As always love the good feedback and conversation this site yields. Can't wait to be on that hard water.

river rat78 · « **Reply #17 on:** Oct 17, 2015, 05:47 PM »

I was able to see the new Recruit in person myself a few days ago. I didn't like how all those holes let light in. I know that you are going to have a few pinholes but this was crazy. Wish they did the thermal canvas like they do in their other shanty's. When I checked out the other thermal shanty at the store it didn't have all those pinholes. It does offer a lot of room though which is a plus.

Head Shaker · « **Reply #18 on:** Oct 19, 2015, 01:51 AM »

I think the collapsing poles on the Recruit is a set back.I like the idea of flip overs as not having to mess with pole adjusting or any time consuming chores.. $:-\$
I am in the market for a new shanty and like the extra width and thought the Recruit was a great choice until I seen the pic with tent poles.Now thinking the Sentinel might be a good choice to upgrade my old Recon model.The Aegis would be another choice but they probably have the same break down poles,which I will not mess with.

motocross269 · « **Reply #19 on:** Oct 19, 2015, 12:21 PM »

Quote from: Head Shaker on Oct 19, 2015, 01:51 AM

I think the collapsing poles on the Recruit is a set back.I like the idea of flip overs as not having to mess with pole adjusting or any time consuming chores.. $:-\$
I am in the market for a new shanty and like the extra width and thought the Recruit was a great choice until I seen the pic with tent poles.Now thinking the Sentinel might be a good choice to upgrade my old Recon model.The Aegis would be another choice but they probably have the same break down poles,which I will not mess with.

I agree with this.... I looked at a Recruit today at Bass Pro and didn't even give it a closer look once I saw that you had to retract the poles.. I have a Clam one man now and love not having to deal with poles when setting up...

I have a new Otter XT hideout sitting in my basement right now waiting to be put together.... Not sure if I am going to like it as well as my clam due to the smaller size and fishing area....It will fit nicely on my ATV rack though and keep me from having to tow something across the rougher ice...

One nice thing with the Otter is that the new XTH fabric isn't quilted on the outer layer so no pin holes...

Head Shaker · « **Reply #20 on:** Oct 19, 2015, 04:03 PM »

I think that otter would be another good choice,but dont know why they and alot of companys wont sell them without seats (just to make more money

).I like the folding Primos Double Bull tri seat,it takes up minimal room in the sled which I need to fit my gear and as comfortable/tough as any IMO.I dont want the added bulky seat let alone pay for it.

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #21 on:** Oct 20, 2015, 06:52 AM »

If the Recruit has a "wind break" position then mobility without collapsing is achievable ...on fairly calm days.

j_shoe99 · « **Reply #22 on:** Nov 02, 2015, 12:31 PM »

I finally just picked up a (now discontinued) Commando Thermal for 'cheap', and I'm very impressed. The size is larger than I hoped for which is good, and no poles to retract. So simply that even my 2.5 year old son was flipping it up in the garage.

fl18guy · « **Reply #23 on:** Nov 26, 2015, 01:04 PM »

I saw a deal on the commando and should have bought that . I bought the new recruit and am not used to folding down the poles. I have a clam Kenai and was used to just flipping it over. Not to happy , thinking I should have returned it.

CLUTCHfan · « **Reply #24 on:** Nov 26, 2015, 05:38 PM »

Thank you for the review. All the stores I've been to haven't had any in stock or on display.

Bigfishsmallcamera · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 20, 2015, 08:23 PM »

If anyone is interested, I made a little video of the recruit hut here..

matzilla · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 22, 2015, 08:24 PM »

Thanks for the video!

lostbrit · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 22, 2015, 09:47 PM »

Thanks for the video, lots of info I needed

CavScout · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 23, 2015, 09:12 PM »

Great video. And after watching it I think that I definitely made the right choice with going with my Eskimo Wide 1 inferno, While I loved my old frabill, the new ones just seem rushed and unrefined to me.

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Author Topic: Frabill Thermal Fabrill - Recruit (Read 8203 times)